Nobody wants to be sitting down to watch TV after a long day of being a badass woman only to find that the very show they’re watching completely undermines their empowerment. You want to be enjoying the subtlety that is the female gaze, the real-life issues that face you and the solutions characters find, and something that empowers you further through exploring the questions and topics that surround your feminism.
Unfortunately, those shows can sometimes be hard to find amidst all the CW quintessential high school dramas. However, if you have an Amazon Prime student account, (hello, 6 months free!) Prime Video has a selection of TV and movies that can keep you entertained and learning all at the same time. So, grab your popcorn, and get ready to feel empowered!
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
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Directed by Joss Whedon and released in the ‘90s, this teen drama was and still is renowned for many of the feminist ideals embedded in it. For the very first time on screen, the archetype of the pretty blonde didn’t die in the first 5 minutes – she saved the entire world. In the type of storyline before-hand reserved for men, Buffy Summers, the girly blonde who subscribes to many girly stereotypes is catapulted into the role of the Vampire Slayer and saves her town that rests on top of a Hellmouth. The character of Buffy and her story is at the forefront- not the boys she dates. Rather than her be an accessory to the big, strong man saving the world, this show flips that ideology right on its head. Buffy the Vampire Slayer features many other strong female characters, including those that have the first-ever on-screen lesbian kiss and sex scene, paving the way for the WLW representation in media we see today.
- Little Women (2019)
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The Louisa May Alcott story has, since its publishing, been long debated on whether or not the tale has feminist ideals. Greta Gerwig’s take on the story, though, spotlights the imagination and resourcefulness of women, as men get put on the back burner. Set against the drop of the 1860s, it focuses on the female role and the women’s choice in how they participate in it. The film’s beauty itself perfectly accentuates the storyline. Between the beautiful costuming and heart-wrenching moments, it’s very hard not to fall in love with the Marches and their story.
- The Wilds (2020-)
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Featuring a diverse cast and crew of women, the different backgrounds and realities of womanhood shine through in this Lord of the Flies-type plot. Based on the key concept “what would be different if women ruled society?”, this show will have you gasping at the twists and turns as it explores not only what makes a strong woman, but what it looks like when your feminism isn’t really feminism at all. This show deals with topics that affect everyone -regardless of gender- such as emotional trauma, toxic masculinity, abuse, eating disorders, poverty, and struggling with sexual identities. It showcases them in a manner that ties it wonderfully into the plot, as opposed to having it shoved down everyone’s throats. It showcases women as whole beings, each with different and unique experiences as they learn healing through sisterhood.
- Four More Shots Please! (2019-)
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This show features a thirty-something Desi cast that focuses on basic feminist principles. While one woman shows her plight in the workplace as men constantly speak over her, another buys her first vibrator after her divorce, while another is trying to date while waiting for marriage. The idea of femininity even after menopause is a large theme in the show we don’t see much of elsewhere. Feminist themes from all across the board are brought to centre stage. The show weaves together so many empowering themes that culminate into something that is educational, insightful, and hilarious. A newbie to feminism looking for the key principles that lead to the need for change can definitely find it here.
- Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada (2012)
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This documentary by Karen Cho is an introductory guide to feminism in Canada. Focused by the Rebelles gathering in Winnipeg (2011), a Canadian feminist group, it takes you through different women’s aid organizations in Canada and the largest feminist fights in the country. It spends time focused on the violence against women and the missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada and remains raw and real instead of looking over the disproportionality of the MMIW. It shows the fight for universal childcare and its importance, and its result found in the exploitation of female immigrants with the live-in childcare program. This documentary is non-Ontario-focused and keys in on people from all of Canada.
- Natalia Valdebenito: Gritona (2017)
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This comedy special is entirely in Spanish, but English subtitles are available and don’t take away from its hilarity. Valdebenito zeros in on the experience of being a Hispanic woman while still being relatable to women of all backgrounds and cultures. Valdebenito somehow finds a way to key in on the struggle of fitting into European beauty standards as a Chilean woman, while remaining not only funny but creating an educational space as she jokes about the boyfriends that were dragged to the show wanting to run for the hills. The charm and humour Valdebenito offers are simply infectious and her message is so amazing.
All of these have their own distinct charm and emphasize, implicitly or explicitly, feminist values and ideals that can be so important to learn about. Sometimes funny, sometimes fear-inducing, but ultimately important and enlightening, these shows and movies are amazing ways to not only learn more about feminism but have both good laughs and cries over your glass of wine at the end of the day.